The Committee have wanted to make our Journals available to all members, past and present and climbers in general. Although copies of all our Journals are archived in the Alpine Club library in London they are not readily available for review. It was thought that the easiest way to access the Journals was to digitise them.
The work to digitise all the Journals was started following a legacy from Alasdair Andrews, who died in 2011. The Committee decided to start from the current year and work backwards so to include the majority of the time that Alasdair was a member. The Journals going back to 1975 were copied as PDF files and were put on the website.
Late in 2019 the Committee agreed to continue with the work and complete the digitising of the Journals from the founding year, 1909, to 1974. This work was completed in February 2020. The final batch of Journals (1960s) were added in early July.
Journals of the early years incorporate the founding of the Association, raising the money for the Britannia Hut above Saas Fee and up to the end of the Great War (1909 to 1919 inclusive).
Journals of the 1920s include insights into SAC hut rules and difficulties for the Treasurer paying the subscriptions for SAC members. George Mallory warrants a mention for his Everset exploits.
Journals of the 1930s include insights into the effect of the financial crash on the Association and the expansion of activities in the UK.
Journals of the 1940s include insights into the drastic reduction in membership during the war with a great recovery afterwards and the setting up of the summer Alpine Meet from 1947.
Journals of the 1950s include insights into the pound devaluation leading to the currency crisis in the mid fifties and curtailing trips to the Alps to the Jubliee Celebrations in 1959.
Journals of the 1960s show several far reaching changes to the Association. Membership was at a high with over 700 members annually. Many members were now from outside London and wanted more than the London centric activities that the Association provided. Weekend meets in huts were started and organised outside the usual venues. In the mid 60s the Journal was totally revamped.
This batch of Journals should be read in conjunction with A History of the ABMSAC written by James Bogle, published in 2005.
The Journals from 1970 to date are presented below.
Journals from the 1970s: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
Journals from the 1980s: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989
Journals from the 1990s: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
Journals from the 2000s: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013.
Journal format changed to a square format from 2014
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
I hope that you enjoy dipping into these journals.
Mike Goodyer, Hon. Editor, updated 15 November 2023
